Sachertorte

As I understand it, there are different versions of this cake, mostly due to its popularity and the several schools of thought there exists with regards to baking and desserts making. This is my version. Rather, it’s my interpretation of the cake my mum used to make when I was a kid. When clearly she couldn’t be bothered to go through the hassle of making it herself, we used to buy it from Lidl, which I have to admit sells a very good Sachertorte, although the chocolate on top is more of a hard and crispy shell. My cake, on the other hand, is a two tier chocolate paradise smothered in a glossy and deep ganache. Very easy to make, please ensure you beat the eggs and the butter thoroughly as this will ensure plenty of air is incorporated in the cake and result in  better rise.

Ingredients (for the cake)

• 150g dark chocolate, chopped
• 150g soft unsalted butter
• 150g caster sugar
• 5 eggs
• 150g flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• about 150g of apricot jam

Method (for the cake)

1. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Set aside and let it cool.
2. Line and grease two 20cm diameter round loose-bottomed tins.
3. Cream the butter with half of the sugar. Pour in the melted chocolate, then add the egg yolks one by one, beating well after each addition.
4. In another bowl, whisk the 5 egg whites until they hold soft peaks, then add the remaining sugar and keep on whisking until fluffy and glossy.
5. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (fan oven).
6. Fold in the meringue into the chocolate mixture with a big metal spoon alternating it with some of the flour (combined with the baking powder). That is, add a spoonful of meringue, mix that into the batter, then add one spoonful of flour, mix that into the batter and so on until you have used both.
7. Divide the mixture evenly between the two tins and bake in the oven for about 30-35 minutes. Check with a skewer that the cake is cooked through before taking them out from the oven and allowing to cool on a racking.
8. Once the two layers have cooled down, remove them from the tins and stack them. Use the jam to glue the two layers together.

Ingredients (for the ganache)

• 150g dark chocolate
• 100g double cream

Method (for the ganache)

1. Break up the chocolate and put it in a heatproof bowl.
2. Warm up the cream in a saucepan, then pour it onto the chocolate and let it stand for a few minutes.
3. Mix well to melt all of the chocolate and let it cool.
4. Pour on the cake and tilt the cake in order to let it spread on its own. Do not use a spatula or any other tools to spread the ganache as this will ruin the glossy finish.

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